One Slight Change
by FronTierBrain
Summary: Everyone knows the story, Sasuke leaves the villages for vengeance and Naruto chases after him. But what if it was the other way around? What if it was Naruto who left sick of the villages intolerance of his other half? What if Sasuke was the one required to chase after him? How could one small change change the whole story?
1. Human Sacrifice! The Ones Born Alone

Chapter 1: Human Sacrifice! Those Who Are Born Alone.

 **"Monsters are not born, we are made, by bigger crueler monsters."**

Naruto POV

"Sasuke today's the day I defeat you!" I yelled as I charged at him with a punch. Only for him to dodge the blow, grab my arm and throw me into the dust.

"What a loser." He mumbled before walking away.

"Alright Sasuke!" Ino yelled.

"I knew you could do it!" Sakura yelled louder.

"Well I knew you could do it first". Another girl said, and a couple of seconds left all the girls in our class were in a fist fight."

"We all knew he could do it, he does it at least twice a day". Shikmaru mumbled.

I got up dusted myself off and walked away before any of them noticed I was gone. Damn that Sasuke always acting so cool, always acting like he's so much better than everyone else. I hated that, I always have. All of the kids and all of the teachers treated me like either a parasite or a joke.

But I guess that wasn't so bad, because the townspeople ignored me altogether.

Everyday when I walked down the middle of a populated road, the people we're diverge to one side as if there was a giant wall in between them.

This is how it always was, and I didn't even know why.

All I ever heard were people mumbling things, like "he's a monster", or "why do they allow him to move freely". But before I could hear anything else all I heard was "be quiet that's forbidden. I constantly went to the third homage about it, but all he ever did was shush me up saying he was to busy.

I'm sure once I was gone he laughed at me.

He always gave me money to live, I didn't know why, but I wasn't complaining.

I opened the door to my house, only being greeted by silence.

I looked outside, to find kids playing with their parents.

Parents…

Whatever who needs them right?

Ive been alone my entire life, and I've never had any problems with it.

"Ugh". I groaned as my stomach did.

I didn't bother checking the fridge, I never exactly filled it up before hand.

Looks like I'll be going out one more time again. What fun.

I didn't bother locking the door behind me, someone always broke in, either to vandalize the place, steal something or to drop a shit on my bed.

Funniest part about it was that, at its core it was grown men pooping on a 12 year olds bed. What type of people got satisfaction in that?

"Look it's that boy". Someone muttered.

If your me, you learned to get used to people talking about you, but the problem I had with them was that they said it so loudly. Like I wasn't even there or like they wanted me to hear, which they probably did.

"Hey store owner". I said walking in.

He stared at me. "Get out". He grunted.

The reason I came here most of the time was because on most days he tolerated me better than most people.

My guess was that his wife told him off or something.

"Look can I just get this stuff." I asked passing him a list.

"Get out." He said louder and more hostile.

I ignored him and proceeded to get some some stuff. One thing I've learned is that no one wants to touch me and avoided me like the plague.

"Dammit kid I told you to leave"! He said grabbing me and throwing me out.

"What's the big deal? I've done nothing wrong!"

"Shut up kid I don't want your kind in my store, take your crap." He said throwing things at me.

"What exactly is my kind?!" I asked finally sick of taken people shit."

A crowd gathered around, some amused, others fearful, but all not afraid to show me their hatred.

"Oh great it's him again, hasn't he caused enough damage." A random voice said.

"What damage?! I've never done anything!" I yelled enraged.

Just when I thought I couldn't get madder someone threw an egg at me. It was silent for a couple of seconds, and then people threw whatever they had.

Normally I'd run, but not this time. I was curious how far they'd go, after this the third would have to give me an explanation.

After a while, people got created, one guy threw a pair of sunglasses at me, another a wig, but the guy who gets first place was the one who threw a live chicken at me.

"Naruto! What happened what did you do?" Iruka said to me.

Of course, it was always immediately my fault, it couldn't be because people are cruel and stupid, nope it had to be because the lonely orphan who lived at the edge of town was starting problems.

"Come on". He said grabbing me.

Eventually we made our way over to the hokage office.

"Sir I'm sorry to interrupt but I'm afraid Naruto got into another problem in the shop district apparently he was harassing a shop owner and some customers." Iruka said.

Of course I was.

"Naruto, is that what happened?" He asked me.

Why did he ask me? He always did, but I doubt he listened to me, and even if he did he never acted on it.

"I was just trying to buy some supplies, and the shop owner threw me out, then people started throwing stuff at me. People always talk about me like I'm some type of monster, so tell me! What do they know that I don't?" I asked.

"Naruto it's more complicated than you understand." He told me.

"And who the hell were my parents! All you ever told me was that now their gone but don't they have graves, or pictures or even fucking names!"

"Naruto that's not how you address the third hokage!" Iruka said.

"Naruto, no matter how they may treat you always understand that you are a hero, and this village owes you a debt."

"So why don't I get any respect? Everyone always treats me like I'm a nobody, no worse than that! Why don't I just disappear? I mean I've seen the way all the ninja look at me too. Why give me money? I'm sure everyone would be far happier if I was gone!" I shouted.

"Naruto Uzumaki! Enough of this talk, right now few people understand your situation but I assure you just give them time and soon they will learn to accept you." He said to me.

Time? They've had twelve years to get used to me, I doubt they ever will.

"Sure I understand sir, sorry to disturb you". I said before walking away.

I walked out ignoring all the glares I got. Whether it was because of the way I yelled at the hokage or because I was me I didn't know. Frankly I didn't care, all anyone had to do was give me one more reason.

"Naruto? Hey Naruto!"

i looked behind me immediately probably because that was the first time anyone sounded happy to see me.

It was Sakura.

"Hey Sakura." I said, not in the mood.

"Naruto have you seen Sasuke?"

"Have you checked his house?"

"Very funny, don't try to be smart, it doesn't suit you". She growled.

"Why do you girls like him anyway?"

"Are you kidding me! He's the hottest guy at school! Plus he's pretty cool and he's like the most talented kid at the academy."

"And he's also cold toward everyone, and he insults everyone, I'm way better than him!"

"Naruto are you kidding me, your annoying! And you your gross, and have horrible grades and have failed final exams like three times! Plus your kinda weird, you always sit alone like you don't have any friends."

"Hey Sakura do you think anyone would miss me if I was gone?"

Her expression changed to one of confusion.

"Well obviously, I mean you have a family right?"

Ouch.

"Thanks Sakura, good bye!" I said running ahead.

"See you tomorrow!" She yelled.

"I wouldn't count on it!" I yelled back.

I could tell she was about to say something, but I sounded her out. There was one more person I had to see.

I looked at his usual location and there he was Mr. Perfect.

I always watched what he did after school, but all he did was come to this lake, then went into the Uchiha manor. I never really went further than that because it had a bunch of yellow tape around it.

"Are you going to watch me like you do everyday loser?"

I jolted back. So he knew? Guess I shouldn't be surprised.

"Sasuke Uchiha". I said coming up next to him.

"Do you think anyone would miss you if you disappeared"? I asked him.

He looked at me with a surprised look on his face, but quickly changed it.

"No". He replied

Now it was my turn to be shocked.

"What about all the kids at the academy?"

"What about them? I'm acquaintances with some of them at best."

"What about all the girls?"

"They'll get over me, I've never understood why they found me so appealing anyway."

Me neither. I agreed.

"Well why do you think no one will miss you".

"Naruto, do you think anyone will miss you if you disappeared?"

"No." I said curious to see where he was going with this.

"Me neither for the exact same reason."

I studied him suspiciously. What did he know?

"Whaddya mean?"

"You've been watching me, think about it." He told me before getting up and walking away.

Did he just smile? No way. I thought before walking away.

Sasuke, he wasn't so bad maybe I should stay. I thought as I grabbed the knob to you home. Only for it to fall out, and for the door itself to fall. The place was destroy, the bed gone, all the windows broken, and so were the lights. The bathroom was basically ash, but the kitchen was the worst. Someone grabbed a fox from the woods, stabbed and knife through it and pinned it against the wall. With the words "Disappear or die". In all caps.

Well that decided it.

They wanted me to be gone, they wanted me to disappear, alright fine. None of them will ever see me, ever again…


	2. Different Reason, Same Choice

Chapter 2: Different Reasons, Same Choice.

 **"You should never inherit an identity, you should define your own."**

I finally did it. I stole a bunch of s-rank jutsu and books from the sacred library.. I'm sure they wouldn't notice someone broke in for another hour, and nobody will notice I'm gone till morning at least.

I jumped down to the main gate into and out of the **village.** Out there was a world where someone will accept me right?

"I guess this is good-bye." I said looking at the village.

"Naruto?"

I turned behind me to see Hinata, quite possibly the quietest girl alive.

"Oh hey Hinata." I said trying to pretend nothing was wrong.

"Naruto where are you going?" She asked rubbing her eyes.

"Just for a midnight stroll." I lied.

"With a bag?" She asked.

i internally groaned. Judging from all the times I've met her she was a quiet odd girl, but she was one of the few who were never mean to me. If it were anyone else except for maybe old man Teuchi and his daughter' I'd probably have stunned them and fled.

"The stars look pretty cool tonight I figured I was going to camp out in the trees plus our genin exam is tomorrow so I'd figure I'd practice." I said making it up as I went."

"Oh ok". She said before turning around.

I sighed in relief before turning around, only to be stopped by her again.

"Wait, um Naruto I know your l-lonely aand y-you really w-want to be a n-n-ninja so I made you something. But don't look at it until tomorrow okay." She said before putting something in my backpack.

I looked at her strangely, she really was weird. My mind quickly went to whatever she put in my bag strangely. She was the first person to ever give me anything for free except bruises and cuts.

I dismissed her from my thoughts as I left the front gate, careful to avoid any ninja and wearing orange it wasn't easy.

THE NEXT DAY - HINATA'S POV

"Alright I have good news for you guys everyone here today pass. Congratulations you are all officially Genin." Iruka-Sensei said.

A bunch of 'woo's' and 'yays' were sent around the room. I knew I would pass, my dad made me practice the clone technique weeks in advance. But I had no time to be happy, nope I was more worried.

Naruto wasn't here, and in all the years he's been at the academy he's never missed a single day of school.

"Shinobi are sent out in teams of four, so three of you will be assigned to one team along with your sensei. Once I call out your names come down get your forehead protector and sit next to your new teammates." Iruka said.

"Team ten, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi."

"What why do I have to be teamed up with them?" Ino whined.

"What a drag why am I with her." Shikamaru complained, while Choji just munched on his chips.

"Your teams are made based on you. Your skills, scores and Kekki Genkai all of those contribute to it. And your team doesn't change until you at least become Chunin so get used to it."

"Team 7, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Hinata Hyuga."

I walked down to retrieve my protector as I watched my new teammates. Sakura was drooling over Sasuke like many other girls in our class. I didn't see why, sure he was talented but his personality wasn't much to speak of.

After Iruka finished announcing the teams he left and told us to wait for our sensei.

"Unbelievable, it's our first day with the guy and he's already late." Sakura complained.

"M-Maybe he's bu-busy I heard he was a s-s-strong ninja". I said.

After that, Sasuke muttered something inaudible.

ONE HOUR LATER

"That's it! I'm sick of waiting for this guy! Why is he so late?"

"R-relax S-Sakura maybe he just got lost or som-"

"Hinata he's a high level ninja! And how do you get lost fo an hour anyway? I'm sure he's just somewhere drunk and completely forgot he was supposed to be here or-"

"Or I'm testing your patience and how strong your wills are." A man said appearing out of no where.

"Good morning everyone my name is Kakashi Hatake, and from today on it seems we'll be working together.

He looked strange with over half his face covered my his mask, along with his protector acting as an eyepatch. With wild silver hair sticking out to the right.

"Alright unfortunately we're short on time, and later today all the jounin have some sort of meeting, so let's get started with your first test shall we?" Kakashi started.

"Go to the training grounds, and wait for instruction, I'll be there momentarily". He said before disappearing through a window."

"Weirdo". Sakura muttered. While I wondered what our first test could possibly entail.

ONE HOUR LATER -NARUTO POV

"Well I think I've run enough". I said falling to my knees. I've been running since last night, just to make sure no ninja from the leaf could follow me, it's funny I thought I'd at least see one or two, hell honestly I suspected I only had half an hour head start, which is why I've been running non-stop.

"I think this is a nice branch to relax". I said as I climbed a tree. I lied down on my back and relaxed, with my eyes closed but immediately tensed up and opened them when I heard some stirring from a branch above.

Two seconds later I saw a pair of eyes, along with short spiky brown hair, eventually I saw his whole face, he a chipped tooth and seemed to be wearing some type of helmet.

"Are you from the hidden leaf?" He asked me.

I looked at him questionably, debating on whether to tell the truth or not. He seemed far to young to be some type of elite ninja, but looks could always be deceiving.

"Yeah so what?" I asked answering his question.

"Great so am I!" He said with a smile.

"The names Konahamaru Sarutobi, nice to meet ya!"

"Nice to meet you to I guess, wait Sarutobi as in third hokage!?"

His expression got slightly darker.

"Yeah he's my grandfather".

"So why're you all the way out here?"

"I'm running away."

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sick of it! Everyone, whenever they see me or call me, they only see me as the grandson of the Hokage. Nobody recognizes me as myself. I'm sick of it already! That's why I want the Hokage name right now! But I'm not willing to wait that long which is why I left! One time I even mimicked what I heard some kid named Naruto do and defaced the Hokage Monument, when he did people were saying how much of an annoyance he was for weeks afterward but when I did it, it's like I did everyone a favor!"

"Kid, just go home." I told him.

"What?! He said angrily.

"Your just acting like a brat, just go home and try not to cause him so much trouble he's a busy man y'know.

"I should've known you wouldn't understand, no one ever does, everyone just nods there heads and agrees with me no matter what I say"!

"That's a ridiculous reason to leave everything you know and have back in the leaf for something as small as that."

"Alright so why did you leave everything you had?" He asked.

"To be honest I never really had anything, a small apartment at the edge of the village, all the adults in the village hated me for reasons I've never quite understood. Parents never had any, from even my earliest of memories. Some of the kids weren't that bad but most were indifferent, so I talked to the people who's opinions I kinda valued. If there was one person besides the third who honestly cared I might've stayed but now it's to far for me to go back now. My goal now is to find my own place in the world."

"Wow". He said.

"Go home kid, and do me a favor and don't tell anyone you saw me, kinda infamous around there."

"Okay fin- aaah". He said as he slipped.

"Konohamaru!". I yelled jumping down after him. I grabbed him then jumped against the tree we fell off of, landing unsteadily on my feet.

"That was amazing!" He said as I let him down.

"Whatever kid, just go home." I told him as I walked away.

"Wait at least tell me your name." He told me.

"The names Naruto Uzumaki." I replied not stopping.

"THAT Naruto Uzumaki, the one everyone hates?"

"There really isn't any other."

"Wait Naruto please."

"What?!" I said getting annoyed.

"Let me follow you".

 **I** **k** **now this part of the story is pretty slow, but it picks up very soon.**


	3. The Next Destination Is…

Chapter 3: The Next Destination is...

 **"As we age, monsters go from under our bed to inside our heads."**

NARUTO's POV

"Alright kid I give up". I told him.

"Wait does that mean? YES!" He said jumping up and down.

For the past two weeks i've been jumping around and running trying to get him to leave me alone and go back, and even though most of the time, I lost him he always managed to find his way.

"Besides it's too late for you to go back on your own." I said sitting down, setting up a small tent and opening my backpack.

"What are you finally eating lunch im starved!" He said opening his mouth.

"Sorry if you want dinner your going to have to catch it yourself, this is a jutsu scroll."

"Oh your going to practice?"

"Thats the plan."

"Can I get something to practice on?"

I looked through my pack looking for something easy to start him on. Eventually I got to what I first started on. The Shadow Clone Jutsu. "Here." I said passing it to him.

He looked at it for a split second before passing it back to me. "Come on boss! I want a jutsu that lets me summon a tornado or shoot lightning out of my eyes."

"There's no jutsu like that". I argued, slightly annoyed.

"Then I'll invent one like it!" He said back.

"Fine here". I said giving him my bag. "Just go practice somewhere else, and don't bother me for anything!" I snapped.

He took the bag without another word, and disappeared into the trees.

Finally peace and quiet. This next jutsu seemed pretty complicated so I figured it would take me at least a couple weeks to completely master.

The Rasengan, the Fourth's signature jutsu.

* * *

SASUKE POV.

"Good work Team Ten, I'm sure Madam Shijimi will be very happy to have Tora back." The Third said to us.

That was about the fifth time that stupid cat has run away, I'm sure in two weeks we'll be doing the same thing again. I'm sick of it, these freaking missions if you could even call them that. All we did was watch, capture and take care of freaking pets. I thought we'd get a chance to actually fight someone. Maybe not another ninja but at least a thug or something.

Im not impatient like that loser, by now he'd have been crying about it but still. The most exciting thing we've gotten to do was go up against Kakashi-sensei and in the end none of us came close to the bell.

Apparently my teacher could pick up on my impatience.

"With all due respect Third I think the kids are ready for something a bit more challenging."

"Oh? Very well we've recently gotten a C-rank mission that I believe will be perfect then. Your jobs is to escort Tazuna, a master bridge builder to the Land Of Waves and protect him from bandits and thieves. You will take off tomorrow understood?"

"Understood!" We all said in unison.

"The three of you are dismissed. However Kakashi I need to speak with you on a very important matter…"

* * *

"Come on!" I yelled as I summoned chakra into my right hand in a spherical shape. I eventually broke concentration and fell to my knees. This was impossible. I could barely focus my chakra into a ball-like form and even then I could only hold it for a couple of seconds.

I tried it again focusing chakra into my hand. "Come on… almost got it…"

"AAH"! A voice yelled snapping me out of concentration. It was Konohamaru, no doubt about it. I followed the sound of his voice and I found him. In between the teeth of the biggest grizzly bear I've ever seen.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I yelled summoning fifty of me. The first ten or so acted as a distraction stabbing it from behind as a distraction. The next fifteen attacked the face, and the next five grabbed Konohamaru while another ten kept its mouth open. Eventually my clones couldn't hold it open anymore and it closed its mouth crushing a bunch of my clone. But it was fine Konohamaru was already saved anyway.

"Konohamaru run back to where we set up camp!" I yelled at him before turning back to the bear.

He limped away in fear allowing me to focus on the problem at hand.

I was was going to need a lot more shadow clones.

* * *

"Naruto! Uzumaki! Barrage!"

I yelled attacking from all sides.

It fell to the floor defeated and I fell to the floor to exhausted. The rasengan could wait I'd need a nice long rest after this.

It mysteriously turned into smoke, maybe some type of rouge summoning jutsu?

I trudged back to camp to find a dismantled tent shruriken everywhere and some blood.

"Ugh." I heard from the other side of the bush.

It was a grown mans voice. I grabbed a kunai and walked toward the voice. It was a leaf ninja. I wasn't a doctor but I knew with one glance he wasn't going to make it.

His entire lower body was missing.

"Who're you guys?"

"The third sent us watch you guys.… He thought you'd be… happier if you left for awhile… we were told to bring you back when you were ready.…"

"Then what happened?! Where Konohamaru?!"

"They… took him… we saw him limping… so… we revealed ourselves… we tried to take him back home… then they appeared. Please give this… to the Third, go back… to the village."

Next to him was Konohamarus helmet, it was bloody and inside was a small note.

 _We have the boy, follow this map to location, come alone jinchuriki or the boy dies._

"I'll got and I'll save him." I told the soldier.

"No… To strong… They want the power inside of you… The Nine-Tails."

Those were his last words before he spat out blood, and his head turned to the side dead.

I had so many questions.

 _Who took Konohamaru?_

 _Whos after me?_

 _What the is a jinchuriki?_

 _And who is the Nine-Tails, and what is the power inside me?_

 _Does it have something to do with the seal on my stomach?_

I didn't know much but I knew one thing.

I wasn't going back to the leaf.

I was going to the Land of Waves.


	4. Coins, Stories, and the Truth

Chapter 4: Coins, Stories, and the Truth.

"Ugh." I groaned as I woke up.

I managed to stow away on a large ship that was heading for the Land of Waves. I practiced the entire way, preparing myself for any threat. I was scared but I couldn't just leave Konohamaru like that.

But worry wasn't my only problem, I was starving, I didn't want to risk running out of this crate to get food but I didn't have any choice.

And I didn't make it any easier on myself by wearing orange all the time.

I waited until the sun came down before leaving the crate and landing on the front deck of the ship.

I was careful to avoid any guards and their lanterns. I slowly made my way into the main dining room. The passengers on this ship were undoubtedly the richest in society. Bright clothing, weird hairdo's and chandeliers bigger then I was. It'd be impossible for me to fit in here.

I very sneakily made my way over to the buffet table, where all the food was just set out. Thankfully for me none of the food was to hot. With my hands, I took handul of shrimp and some fish I couldn't recognize, I hid under the tablecloth and kept munching away.

I ate until I felt a hand grab my hand and forcefully pulled me from under the table.

It was an overweight man in a security guard outfit with a short beard. "So your the runt whose been stealing food.

"What gave me away?" I asked with a nervous laugh.

Before anything else could be said I gave him a short kick to his chin causing him to stumble backwards. I jumped over the other side of the table and began to run out of the dining room.

"It's a peasant!" I heard one of the ladies say, and suddenly everyone's attention was on me.

The overweight man stood back up, and began to give chase along with three men. I dash through the evening air and ran around the ship. Running into many more guards on the way. Their had to be at least 30 on this ship, which was way to many for a ship this size.

Eventually I went around the entire ship.

"Now we've got him!" I heard the guards behind me say. They were closing in from in front of me as well.

I went back into the dining room, much to the uproar of the passengers. Managed to find a small vent in the side of the dining room, which I managed to break through with ease, just in time to avoid the overweight guard.

"God damn it! You freaking brat, get your ass back here!"

Not likely.

I broke through the other side and landed into a kitchen of some sort.

"Quick! In here!' A boy said to me.

Before I was quick sure what was happening I was inside of a large pot and the lid closed in on top of me.

"Roc, we heard a noise, did you see any intruders?" I heard someone ask.

"No, sorry sir nothing over here." I heard the boy respond.

I heard the footsteps of someone leave the room, and the lid was lifted off of the pot I was in. I lifted my eyes until I met red ones. It was a young boy about my age, he had purple hair that went down to his shoulders and he wore a white apron and cap, he obviously worked for whoever owned the ship.

He turned his head away from mine and went back to washing dishes.

"You really should leave."

"Yeah, I was planning to escape back to my crate before any of the guards found me anyway."

"That's not what I meant, you should leave this ship."

"Wait? What? Why?"

"In less then two days, this ship will be... at the bottom of the sea."

"How the heck do you know?"

"My eyes."

"I don't think I need to say what again do I?"

"Ever since I was born I've had the ability to see an indecisive amount of time into the future with my eyes. I saw you coming here today and..."

"...And?"

"And I can also tell, you might not know it now but you will go far."

"Go far in what?" I asked.

"In whatever your trying to do."

"I sincerely doubt that." I told him.

"I've never been wrong before."

"Believe me when I say you have absolutely no idea who your talking to."

"I think I do."

"Yeah, well I'd better get out of here, wouldn't want to get you in trouble, so thanks for everything." I told him as I left the kitchen.

With a small grin forming on my face.

* * *

I got caught, I had a good run if I did say so myself, but they tricked me by placing an awesome bowl of ramen in the middle of the net, but I don't care, it was worth it. No ramen should go uneaten.

I was tied up and thrown in front of an obese man who wore a really expensive looking robe and was sitting on a chair that looked just as much expensive. He was surrounded by 4 guys who looked way stronger then the guards before.

"Who are you boy?" He asked me.

"Who are you?" I retaliated.

"I am the owner of this ship, and as you can imagine my patrons are quite scared of you, now then who are you?"

"I'm just a nobody, an orphan who doesn't know where he belongs." I answered.

"Well since your just a nobody how about I give you a job." He asked me.

"Oh thank you but I need to decline."

"It's that or be thrown off my ship."

"Well if that's the only option."

They turned me into a hosed me down with some cold water, threw out my clothes and gave me some crap uniform. I was forced to do dishes with the boy I met did it in silence until I decided to change that.

"So you can tell the future." I asked him.

He nodded.

"Do you control it or..."

"Visions come to me, it's mostly when I'm asleep but it sometimes happens during the day to."

"If you know this place will sink why are you still here? Why haven't you left yet?"

"This ship was originally my parents, they had so much money that they wanted to live on the seas, eventually they had a son, and soon after they died. I was born with this ship, this is where I will spend my finally days, and I will die with it."

"Why?"

"I'm an orphan, my caretaker, the man who now owns this ship cares little for me and doesn't care what I do as long as I stay out of his way. No one loves me, and I have no one to love. This is my purpose on this Earth."

"Do you like it?"

"No but what can I do?"

"You can change it! Survive the sinking ship and travel the world."

I've got no money, or experience, I wouldn't last a day out there alone."

"I was told by a brilliant man that everyone has friends."

"I am the only kid on this ship, the staff treats me like a slave, while the passengers treat me like a pet, where do you see friends."

"We all have friends, we just haven't found them yet. Some people take longer to find their friends then others, but we all have friends nobody dies alone.

"Well I'll be dead soon enough."

"You don't have to. You could come with me!"

"Even if I did chose to come with you, I have no desire to really do anything."

"You want friends don't you!?"

He didn't respond, meaning I must've had something.

"Even if you don't have any goals in life, you want friends right? Friends help other friends, so I'll become your friend in exchange for you helping me with my dream."

"What is your dream?" He asked me.

I looked up at the ceiling, blowing air at it.

"Another friend of mine is has been kidnapped, my short-term goal is to go rescue him."

"So what are you going to do after that?"

"Well originally I planned on being the kage of my village, but that was an idiotic, childish dream. For now it's to find friends who'll accept me for I am."

"What? What do you mean? Aren't you human?"

"Can't your eyes tell?"

"The visions are imprecise and uncontrollable, anyway answer the question."

"To be completely honest, I don't know myself. I've got human skin, and a human face, but all I've ever been called is an animal, a beast...a monster."

"Did you do anything in the past?"

Naruto giggled. "Things have been this way for as long as I could remember, I'm an eleven year old kid, what could a baby accomplish that would cause an entire village to fear him.

"Maybe your the reincarnation of a really bad guy, or maybe your parents were really bad people, and the your village is looking for someone to put the blame on. An easy target."

"Nah, the Third Hokage said that they were both strong ninja, and he'd never lie to me."

"How can you be so sure? Didn't everyone hate you?"

"Almost." I reminisced. "There were a few exceptions, the Third, the Ichiraku ramen guy, and this kid."

"What kid?"

"You'd better believe I hated him, he was always so good at everything he was Mr. Perfect, super talented and he had all the girls he wanted."

"But?" He urged me.

My eyes began to water for reasons I couldn't understand. "He was the closest thing, the closest thing... I ever had to a friend." I began. "I could never understand why, we were two totally different kinds of people, with different background and lives, he embarrassed me at the courtyard all the time, I could never understand why I felt the way I did or how to deal with it."

"Maybe, just maybe you didn't see the whole story." He said to me.

"What?!" I asked him. He seemed to be doing some remembering of his own.

"My dad told me this before he died, stories are a lot like coins. Stories have three sides, your side, which represents head on a coin, then theirs his side, which represents tails, then there is the third side, which represents the truth."

"What? But the third side is so narrow most people wouldn't consider it a side." I pointed out.

"Exactly, when you flip a coin, the chance of it landing sideways is so small many people wouldn't consider it, which is why it represents the whole truth. The whole truth is rarely found, and even less often stated. Many people assume it's always a 50-50 chance between heads or tails, your side and his side, but there is that 1%, the truth."

"What if my side is the whole truth."! I questioned

"Impossible, you can only see the world from your perspective and no on else's, never is one person completely right about everything. Think about it, a coin doesn't always land on heads or tails." He told me.

"So it's a 49.5-49.5-1 chance."

"Yeah, most of the time." He muttered.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Sometimes, both sides are wrong and the truth can't be found." He said.

"Where the heck is that represented on a coin?!" I asked.

The kid dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a gold coin. Then he flipped it into the air only to catch it, then put it back into his pocket.

"What was the purpose of that?"

"Sometimes the coin doesn't land at all." He said.

There was a brief pause and I thought about what he said.

"Your dad said all that?"

"Yeah."

"He was a smart man."

"Of course he was." He beamed.

"You still haven't answered my question."

"It was fun to talk to you." He told me.

"Still haven't."

"I'm pretty sure I said no."

"You didn't."

"Yeah well I am now."

"You haven't given me a proper answer."

"I just did!"

"You haven't given me an answer I can accept, like "Yes please take me" or "It'd be an honor to travel with you."

Then he began laughing hysterically. "Your ridiculous!"

"God, I haven't laughed like this in a long time."

"So?"

"Alright, I'll come with you, Naruto Uzumaki."

"And I'd be honored for you to come along...um."

"Call me Roc, it's what everyone else does anyway."

"Oh alright cool."

Then there was a short pause."

"Naruto?"

"Yeah?"

"Quick word of advice, if you want to live to make all those friends we should probably get going to the emergency life rafts."

"What? I thought we had two day-". Before I could finish my response the boat shook erratically, throwing us both to the side, then on the floor.

"I thought we had two days!" I yelled out at him.

"Correction! I said this ship would be at the bottom of the sea in two days, I never said when it would start sinking."

"You couldn't have told me this earlier?!"

"Well, I mean we were having such a nice conversation."

"Hey I'd much prefer to learn when the ship I'm on is going to sink then to talk about coins!"

"Your acting like my coin metaphor didn't just change everything you believed, your entire outlook on life."

"Oh shut up! All it did was make me regret something I couldn't do in the past!"

"Yeah well I'm sure it did!"

"Shut up! If I heard it earlier, maybe, just maybe I wouldn't be here right now, I might've never left, meaning you'd be drowning!"

"I didn't ask for you to save me! You just wouldn't leave me alone!"

"Shut up and follow me Mr. No Friends."

"Right back at ya friendless."

We both rushed out of the kitchen, it seemed we beat all of the passengers to the realization that the ship was beginning to sink. We flew past the guards.

"Let me lead the way! I actually know where everything is." Roc told me.

"Sure! You do that, I told him, as I went to the food bar."

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Getting food for the ride!" I yelled.

"Fine after your done with that head to the south of the ship! That's where all the rafts are! Get the biggest one! I'll be with you in just a second." He yelled back.

There was a slight commotion among the passengers, I'm guessing they just assumed we were hitting rough waters, like security was saying, thankfully they didn't notice me stuff my pants with all sorts of food before rushing out. It took me awhil to get to the south of the ship mostly because my clothes were filled with food. When I got there Roc was nowhere is sight.

I sat on the largest raft, hiding while peeking out. No one was here just yet. Another shake hit the boat, this time more serious then the last, with the raft dangling from the boat as one of its four strings snapped. Those four strings were the only things keeping this life raft with the boat.

I could hear the commotion on the inside, people were asking questions, and I doubted security could hold them for any longer.

"Excuse me passengers." I heard a voice I assumed to be the captain say. "We have run into quite the predicament, guards, escort the passengers in a mild and relaxed fashion to the life boats south of the ship. This is all."

There was a brief moment of silence, then all-out chaos. Security was over run by rich people punching and kicking over each other, all of them simply believing their life was more important then the next. Whee the hell is Roc?!

The boat began to tilt, the north part of the ship was sinking, raising the raft even higher, and causing another string to snap. Eventually, I saw it, a bunch of rich people mostly men, I guess those insanely high heels and stupidly designed dresses destroyed the women's chances. They were all rushing this way, cutting life boats and jumping to safety.

They were all intentionally avoiding this one, I questioned it but I was thankful, till I found out why. The big boss of this ship, the rich guy I met before was on a chair carried by four men. "If anyone takes the largest raft, which belongs to me they shall be shot down immediately!" He announced,

I cursed silently.

"Naruto!" I heard a voice say. I turned around to see Roc, hands full running this way from the opposite direction.

"Cut the ropes Naruto! We gotta leave now!"

I nodded making my appearance known, I used my teeth to tear the ropes apart.

"No! You foolish peasant I will kill you!" The man threatened shooting at me with a gold diamond incrusted pistol.

His last shot hit the last string causing the raft to hit the cold ocean below. Roc jumped in soon afterward. The man and all his men began to shoot at us.

"You blasted bra-". Thankfully the ship shook again, stroking his men off balance, and they dropped the chair, sending the man falling into other passengers.

Once we were far enough away that I assumed we'd be safe I looked at the sinking ship. Then I turned to Roc.

"What fucking took you so long?"

"Relax dude, I was getting my stuff and your backpack."

"Oh thanks." I said taking it.

"And one last thing." He said to me taking something out of his pack. It was my orange jumpsuit, no only clean but it looked brand new.

"Wow! Thanks." I said to him.

"Meh it was dirty, no big deal."

* * *

We were at sea for days, eating what food I brought with me. Once we were out of food, we saw an island and drifted toward it.

"If the map is right then this should be it, the Land Of Waves". Roc told me.

 _Im coming Konohamaru, coming to rescue you._


	5. Making A Choice, Making A Promise

Chapter 5: Making A Choice, Making A Promise.

"Okay, so where do we go Captain?" Roc asked me as we sat on the benches at the far side of the Land of Waves.

"I have no idea." I said honestly. I looked around, and I noticed how the villagers seemed to be making some sort of bridge. It was a simple quaint village.

"Okay Roc, let's make it a contest." I started. "Let's see who can find information of Konohamaru first."

"I dunno." He told me. "You might get upset when I find him before you even get an idea."

"So it's a deal"? I held out my hand.

"Sure." He shook it.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I yelled as I summoned about 20 clones. We all immediately scattered leaving Roc to himself.

I searched around for a little bit, not really talking to anyone along the way. Until I heard a faint sound of yelled and weapons clashing together, I moved into the forest until I saw a small clearing, there, I gaped at what I saw.

Sakura, and Sasuke were both fighting against this tall dark-skinned bandaged up man. Their were two of him, one in front holding a large sword, while the one behind him had a grown masked man with silver hair inside water.

I listen to the way they were talking. Apparently the trapped man was their sensei as they all somehow managed to pass the genin exam. And the other man was a murderer who'd most likely kill them all. I shrugged it off, none of this concerned me anymore. Sasuke was a prick, Sakura was a bitch and I'm sure their sensei couldn't be that good of a person either.

The I saw a person, face-down with dark blue short hair on the floor with a white hoodie. It was Hinata! I sucked my teeth. Had it been any other kid my age I would've left already, but seeing a hurt Hinata, one of the few people who was nice to me…

I turned away contemplating what to do, the difference between what three genin can do and what three genin and another kid could do to a master murderer wasn't very large. I doubt my shadow clones could do much and it wasn't like I've really mastered another technique.

My thoughts were interrupted by a large object, just about my size slam into me, forcing me to the ground. It was black and blue, and it was a person! Sasuke, most likely by the bandaged up man had been kicked in my direction.

"Nar…Naruto?!" Sasuke said surprised. "What the heck are you doing here?"

Had he or had he not heard about me leaving the village, I'm sure all of the higher ups knew about it. What was I supposed to say, I defected from the village because everyone was a dick, the Third Hokage's grandson followed me and was kidnapped and is probably somewhere in this village, along the way I met this kid named Roc who has a strange kekkai genkai, while looking for Konohamaru I just happened along you guys?

Whatever, I didn't owe him any explanations. "Sasuke if you want to rescue your sensei you have to listen to me. Okay?"

He nodded, obviously still confused.

"Good, here's the plan."

* * *

SAKURA POV

This wasn't good. It was bad! It was horrible! After finding out that this was actually an A-rank level mission Kakashi-sensei asked us if we wanted to go back. Hinata surprisingly was the first person to respond with a no, and Sasuke agreed that he wanted to continue, and I couldn't look weak or scared in front of my Sasuke! So I agreed, I should've went with my head, not my heart! Look at our current situation. We leave Kakashi-sensei and escape on our own, his guy would track us down before we could make it halfway. We stay and fight we'd surely be killed. NO MATTER WHAT WE DID WE WERE SCREWED.

Sasuke was trying his best and failing miserably, Hinata was knocked out, the bridge builder wasn't a fight and Kakashi-sensei was stuck in a water prison, and here I was not doing anything, to scared to move. This feeling of uselessness sucked. Now I know what Naruto feels like…

Sasuke got up from the bushes, a large shuriken in his hand.

"How do you like this?! A demon wind shuriken!" Sasuke smiled as if it was the answer to all of our problems.

"Not bad kid but you'll never hit me with that." Zabuza laughed.

Sasuke launched it past the water clone toward the real Zabuza, for a second I actually believe he had his number, until Zabuza caught it with ease. It was hopeless.

A second shuriken was flying through the air. "The shadow shuriken jutsu, not bad kid." Zabuza said, only to jump over the second one. "But it's no use, I'm to strong to be hit by a stupid ninja tool!"

The second shuriken, now flying away behind Zabuza in a big poof of smoke turned into… Naruto! "I'll be the judge of that!" He stated launching a kunai at Zabuza. Zabuza freaked out and eventually had no choice but to release Kakashi sensei in order to dodge it.

* * *

Naruto POV

I had this big grin on my face. It worked! My plan worked and I out smarted a jonin-level fighter. I past the bandaged man and the silver man who's name is apparently Kakashi.

"So your that famous Naruto I've heard so much about." He said to me as I passed him.

"Yeah, that's me certified monster at your service." I said.

"Well… I have orders to take you in, but considering the current situation… Kakashi said.

"Yeah, yeah thanks." I said as I grabbed Hinata and pulled her up against a tree. "Well I've done my job, the rest is up to you guys!" I yelled as I ran through the forest. Naruto Uzumaki had no desire to go back to the Hidden Leaf any time soon.

"Wait Naruto." Sasuke said.

"What?" I asked him eager to leave.

"You really left." He said to me. "And you've gotten stronger to." I couldn't tell exactly how he was feeling or thinking.

"Yeah, but I'm not done yet." I started. "Someday I'll show you just how strong I've become, and you'll regret the day you ever called me loser." I said to him.

And to my shock at my words he smiled.

"I won't forget those words, Naruto and you'd better not either." He said to me.

I turned and began running away, to hide the growing smile on my face.


	6. Unwanted

Chapter 6: Unwanted.

I tried to stop the smile from covering my face. Sasuke for once didn't call me a loser! My thoughts were interrupted when I saw an odd figure up in the trees, looking in the direction of where Sasuke and the others were fighting that guy. He didn't have a leaf headband but rather one with the same design as where that Zabuza guy was from, they were probably friends!

I couldn't let reinforcements come toward him. Only because if he got through the others, them he'd probably try to come after me. I jumped toward the figure, getting a closer look I noticed that the figure had a white mask on with a reddish design on it.

"Hey! Who are you and what do you want!" I yelled, landing on a tree next to his.

"I am looking for a man…" The person whispered so lowly I could barely here it.

"Is he tall, with dark skin, covered in bandages." I described.

"So he is here…"

"Hey are you listening to me!" I yelled angrily.

"I need to go, your in the way." He said beginning to jump past me. I blocked off his path. There was no way I was letting him go help that murderer.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!" I yelled summoning about 30 clones. We all jumped him at once he punched and kicked his way through all of us with ease. He eventually ,add it to the real me and then stabbed me with a kunai. Forcing me to cough up blood.

I faltered but managed to stay upright. "Is that the best you can do?" He pointed at my stomach, a paper bomb! I could grab it before it blew up. It

I flew stomach first onto a different tree branch .tree branch, blood soaking its leaves.

"It's your fault for getting in my way." The guy said as he kicked me off the tree.

"Aw shit." I muttered as I hit the ground. I was bleeding badly and was burned in multiple places.

At this rate, I would die. But then again a lot more people would be happy that way right? I wouldn't need to worry about being hated, hell the Leaf might turn it into a national holiday. I could accept this.

I could accept it.

No I couldn't.

I got up, stomach stinging like hell and ran, following him. "Get the hell back here!"

"What the heck is the matter with you?! Think of the people who care about you! They'd be sad to see you die such a pointless death!" He yelled seemingly in some sort of hurry.

"Sorry, but I don't have anyone that worries about me."

He stopped abruptly and looked back at me. "Excuse me?"

"See, I don't have anyone that worries about me, 99.9% of the people in this world would be happier if I were gone… I hated that. My whole life was a hell.

"Then why bother living?" He asked. I didn't understand why he cared so much.

"Because I wanted to know how it felt, I wanted to be needed, or I guess in order to continue living I needed to feel wanted. So now I've got a friend, waiting for me to catch up to him, a kid who looks up to me waiting to be rescued, and a promise I just made that needs to be protected."

"Interesting, it seems you and I are more similar than I previously believed."

"What makes you say that?"

"Nothing, I've already ran out of time, Zabuza is waiting." He said walking up to me. "You are a strange boy, please don't get in my way again, I'd prefer not to kill you." He said, then disappeared from my view.

"Wait a minute…" I spewed, panting and gasping. My vision quickly fading till I saw nothing but black.

* * *

"Naruto!" I woke up to the name of my voice being yelled by a familiar face,

"Roc?" I asked questioningly.

"Oh thank god!" He smiled. "Where the hell were you? What the heck have you been doing."

"How long has it been since we've last met?" I asked him.

"A week." He answered.

I got up immediately, shocked. "I was out for an entire week?!"

"I don't know! I just found you! Why is your jacket ripped up?! What's with all the dry blood? Why were you knocked out?!" He asked me.

Hearing the word blood, I check my wounds, there were no signs of any injury, the blood staining the area of the past wound.

"Ugh." I groaned explaining everything I remember, meeting up with people from my past, the dangerous situation they were in, meeting the odd masked stranger afterward, all till I blacked out.

"Do you have any information on Konohamaru?!" I said remembering why we came here in the first place?"

"Well, I went into a bar in the city, asking anyone if they've seen or heard about a boy named Konohamaru, a hooded man in the corner, told me to tell the jinchuriki to come to the Sand Village."

"Jinchuriki." I said to myself, sounding out the words, I've heard that from the same note last time…

"The stranger threw down a smoke bomb and disappeared after that. I couldn't do anything else, then I looked for you, and I've just found you on the floor."

"Where is the Sand Village?" I asked him.

"Very, very far." He replied. I stood thoughtfully for a couple of seconds. Thinking.

"Well it's not like we have anything else to do right?"

Roc smiled back at me. "Yeah, I guess not."

"Okay! So it's decided! The sun is going down now, so first thing tomorrow we leave and set out for the Sand Village!" I told him.

"Sure, but where are we going to sleep?" He asked me.

I pressed my back against a tree. "This is good for me." I sat down, hoping that Hinata and the others are okay. Even though I had just woken up, I felt extremely tired.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of rustling. A person was standing in front of me, a kunai in hand. They were going to stab me!

"Stop!" I yelled dodging it. "Roc! Wake the fuck up!" I yelled at my body lying down a few feet away.

"Wha-"? Roc grumbled. Rubbing his eyes staring at the assailant.

"YOU! It's ALL YOUR FAULT!" The voice roared. It was familiar, the same one as the masked man who stabbed me before.

"It's your fault I couldn't save him! It's all because of you getting in the way the copy ninja killed him by the time I got there! My master Zabuza is dead because of you!"

I cursed inside.

"Roc! Get us a boat! I'll be right behind you!"I yelled at my friend, running in the opposite direction as the masked man followed.

* * *

 **Now by now there's no doubt in my mind you all realize who the "masked man" is. I showed this to a friend, and he didn't understand so for those of you who don't let me explain. In the anime, after Naruto's plan frees up Kakashi he instantly starts beating Zabuza's ass. I'm sure it was only because of "masky" that Zabuza survived for round 2. I wanted to stick as closely to the original plot line as possible but I also had to have a reason for there not to be a round 2, since Naruto wouldn't be with Kakashi and co. Because I'm to lazy to write that.**

 **As Naruto leaves the Kakashi Vs Zabuza fight he runs into Masky who's on his way to help Zabuza by tricking Kakashi and others into thinking that he was capturing a missing nin, Naruto distracts Masky long enough for Kakashi to lightning blade(or whatever he tries to do) Zabuza, killing him. By the time Masky gets there Zabuza's corpse is chilling in water and Team 7 is back in town. Masky knowing full well he can't take on the copy ninja goes for the real reason he couldn't save Zabuza as he does in the original story Naruto.**

 **Another thing most people have probably figured is that as time goes on the amount of companions Naruto has follow him on his journey will increase. I'd be very curious to see what your guesses for the next 3 would be as they will all be canon characters.**

 **Also I'll give a personal shoutout to the person who can figure out what him gaining friends will lead up to and how this story will end.**


	7. The Reason You Are Hated

Chapter 7: The Reason You Are Hated…

This was bad. Really really bad… This guy whoever the heck he was was insanely strong… At this rate, I was going to die, and that would be ridiculously bad right now.

"It's all your fault… Its all your fault that he was taken from me!" The masked man said throwing needles at me. I put my arms in the way to protect my face and neck, the pain from them was next to unbearable.

"Once… I was precious. I belonged to my parents… Then in the blink of an eye they were gone!"

I got up and began to run again, when three needles hit the back of my right leg, causing me to fall to the ground and become incapable of moving it.

"That's when I realized that in all the world no one needed me. I was alone. And that was the most painful thing… Accepting that I was alone in the world. Superfluous. Unwanted. Shunned." He said walking toward me a kunai in his hand. I thought about his words. He was just like…

"Can you understand? Not having a dream… Not being needed by anyone… The pain of merely being alive?" He asked me stepping on the back of my leg, causing the needles to go even deeper. "No of course you can't, someone like you, whose grew up happy, with friends, with family I'm sure could never ever understand m-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" I yelled back and him, turning my body over to my back. "I, have always been alone… My entire life, you said you had parents then lost them right? Well IMAGINE NEVER HAVING ANY TO BEGIN WITH! I was born in the hidden leaf village, and for reasons I never knew I was hated! People vandalizing my stuff, calling me names, attack me out on the street, and it's been going on SINCE THE DAY I WAS BORN! The amount of people who actually gave a shit about me could be counted on my right hand. I constantly thought about just ending it all… But I refused, partially because I didn't want to give them the satisfaction and part of me telling myself not to do it. And one day, I decided I had enough, so I left. Yeah… I left it all behind! Since then I've met others like me… Who wanted to change something about themselves!"

"Enough! I am the winner and the winner decides what happens to the loser!" The Masked man yelled.

"Roc, is out there looking for a boat, and Konohamaru is waiting for me, and Sasuke, I made a vow to him! Which is exactly why, I can't die just yet! Especially not to someone whose so damn similar to myself!"

* * *

NO ONE'S POV

Naruto roared those last words, a cloak of orange beginning to surround his body. The masked man not noticing this, still processing Narutos words.

"Your alone… Just like me?" The masked man said. Then took a look at Narutos body and flew back. His whiskers grew in size, the same thing with his teeth, a black outline surrounding his lips and his pupils turning into slits like a cats. And he got back up with ease.

"Impossible! What type of jutsu is this? I paralyzed you?" The masked man said scared. Every part of his body was telling him to run, but he couldn't not until the job was done. He had to avenge Zabuza.

"Hidden Jutsu! Crystal Ice Mirrors!" The Masked Man yelled. Large shards of ice flew into the sky, growing into rectangular shapes all showing a reflection of the Masked Man.

"I can't tell if in your current form you can hear me, I'm not entirely sure if what you are doing is your trump card or a desperate last resort, but this is my ultimate technique, a technique no one has ever seen and lived to talk about."

In return Naruto let out a large roar.

"Enough! You will die by my hand!" The masked man yelled.

* * *

NARUTO POV

"Ugh, my head." I groaned as I got up, when I looked down I discovered I was in a darkly lit room. Was this the afterlife? I felt a large disturbing presence behind me and when I turned around I saw it…

Inside of a large prison cell, with a seal on the front of it lied a dark and disturbing force. Two red-orange eyes stared down at me, with huge teeth and an orange chakra surrounding its body.

"AAAH! What the hell are you? Where is this place? Are you satan? I don't belong in hell!"

It gave a deep, dark laugh. "Foolish child, then I suppose the means they having told you anything."

"Anything about what?" I asked it scared.

"Tell me, those on the outside, do they treat you differently from other children?"

I stared in shock. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?! Why? Is it your fault?"

The thing laughed again. "12 years ago, the 4th hokage couldn't stop my rampage, I was the strongest being in this world. I stabbed a whole through him and his wife, but with his last dying breath he used his remaining chakra to seal me within a child. This is your subconscious and I am, known by your species as the-"

"The 9-tailed fox!" I yelled.

"Correct."

"So then your the reason everyone hates me! Your the reason I'm different from everybody else… Your the reason…"

"You talk like I asked to be here, but let's forget about that for now… Your about to die…"

"What? The hell are you talking about."

"There is a dangerous force outside, it's about to kill you, and unfortunately we are bounded by soul so if you die I die as well which is something I'm afraid I can't allow." It told me. A bunch of it's orange chakra came off of it and surrounded me.

"Wait! What the hell are you doing? Stop!"

"You'll thank me later boy…"

* * *

When I opened my eyes, my entire body was aching. But my leg felt oddly better then before. I struggled slightly getting up, and that's when I saw him. Not to far from me, the body of the person who attacked me. I thought he was dead, until I heard muttering coming from him.

"I'm sorry Zabuza… I could put avenge you…" He muttered to himself. Then he noticed me draw near him.

"Kill me…" He pleaded. "I have lost my reason to leave." He was pretty, prettier than Sakura! Hell I wasn't even so sure he was a guy anymore.

"What's your name?" I asked him. The fox must've take some sort of control of my body because I couldn't remember anything.

"Haku…" He coughed.

Then I sighed, I wasn't to sure about this. "Well then Haku welcome aboard!" I told him picking up his body and running toward the town.

"Wait, what the hell are you doing?!" He yelled.

"You want to die because you lost your reason to live right?! Well I'm sorry, I don't want you to die and this might seem selfish but if you need a reason to live then live for me!"

"Just kill me!" Haku said struggling.

"No way! Besides you said it yourself! The winner decides what happens to the loser, well I won and I decided that you'll join me and my friends! And you don't have the option to refuse!"

"What kind of asinine reasoning is that?"

"It's the Naruto reasoning so get used to it!"

* * *

Eventually we got back to the town and found Roc.

"Hey Naruto! A guy asked me if I was friends with you then gave me this boat for free!" He told me pointing toward the dock. It wasn't a cruise ship but it was a nice boat with a small cabin on it.

"Wait really?!" I asked him surprised.

"Yeah he said it was curtesy of Team 7, after they saved them from a couple of assassins now their building some kind of bridge, and naming it after you!"

"Woah, that's awesome." I smiled. "But we really should get going."

Roc frowned. "That guy on your shoulder isn't he the guy who attacked us?"

"Roc trust me, in the end… he's just like you and me." I told him.

Roc sighed. "Alright but if things go sour…"

"Yeah, yeah everything will be fine." I told him jumping onto the boat.

"Let's go guys. Off to the sand village!"

"Yeah!" Roc smiled as he unroped the boat.

Haku groaned as I seated him near the front of the boat. "You know this is kidnapping right?"

"And now we sail," I smiled happily ignoring him. But in the back of my head I couldn't stop thinking about the thing living inside of me, and the sudden realization that it was why I was so different from everybody else.

 _Why me?_


	8. The Second Jinchuriki

Chapter 8: The Second Jinchuriki

Naruto sighed as he could finally see the Sand Village in the distance. A small smile appeared on his face. "Hey guys hurry up!" He told his traveling companions as he sped up.

Haku, who was the fastest of the bunch managed to catch up to Naruto, although he couldn't do it for very long as he wasn't used to the immense heat. It had taken awhile for Haku to come along, when they first started this journey he was depressed, always saying that he had nothing to live for since Zabuza had died and was better off dead. But after Naruto giving him a couple of speeches and saving his life a couple times whether it'd be from bandits, thugs or giant animals he eventually came along.

"Aw come on guys!" Roc said, the gap between he and his friends only getting larger and larger. None of the trio had ever been on sand in their entire lives yet those two were moving like they'd been on sand their entire lives. It was a miracle they had even found this place, consider Naruto was the one with the map after all.

Eventually the trio had gotten to the front of the village. Haku sitting down and Roc lying on the floor both panting, while Naruto looked as if he could go anothe twice the distance. From it's exterior it looked nothing like the Leaf that Naruto had once called home.

"I told you guys that I knew how to read..." Naruto couldn't finish as he felt dizzy, then the sky above him began to circle until eventually he saw nothing but black.

* * *

When Naruto awoke he found that he was lying in a bed, the most comfortable he had been in a long time.

"Naruto! Your awake!" He heard from his right. It was Roc who got up and hugged him.

"Where are we?"

"We're in a hospital in Suna, we told them that we were a traveling group of orphans looking for our friend. Then they brought us here, Haku went to get a headstart on looking, but I decided to stay until you woke up, you were out for almost a week!

"Do they know why I fainted?"

"The heat." Roc said.

Naruto laughed. "Of course it was."

"Seriously you don't need to push yourself so hard, we will find him."

"Yeah, speaking of finding him, you and I should actually start looking." Naruto said getting up when a nurse came through the door.

"Oh no, you need some rest." A nurse informed him. "Heat exhaustion is very serious, you need at least a day to get back to regular health."

Naruto sighed. "But Im fine, really! Im not a normal kid!"

"Just like you thought you were fine when you fainted the first time? Sorry kid, doctors orders. The nurse told him.

Naruto sighed but made no effort to argue instead lying back down to stare at the sealing above him.

"Don't worry Naruto, by the time your out of here we'll have been found Konohamaru, just focus on getting better!" Roc told him, waving as he exited.

"Just call if you need anything." The nurse told him, following Roc out.

Naruto watched them exit then looked out the window. He could probably search but if he fainted now he wouldn't help anyone, so he decided to stay put.

* * *

After a couple of hours, Naruto began to get a little antsy, Im sure the doctor wouldn't mind if he did some light exercise as long as he didn't leave the room right? So he took of his shirt, and began doing a light work out. 50 push-ups, 50 sit-ups followed by 100 curl-ups, then he supposed he could use the windowsill to do 50 pull-ups.

As he was halfway done with curl-ups he was exhausted and his muscles were sore.

"What're you doing?" He heard a voice ask him and Naruto instantly perked up, assuming it was a doctor.

"Oh Im really sorry sir." He said turning around. "I just wanted to get in some light exercise!" When he stared at the man he noticed he didn't seem like a doctor. The man stared speechless at Naruto. While Naruto stared at the man strangely. He wore turban like headgear that covered the majority of his face with the exception of the right side of his face.

"That seal..." The man muttered more to himself than Naruto.

Then Naruto realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt and quickly put one on. Then the strange man came closer.

"Could it be?! Are you one of them?!" He asked.

"One of what?" Naruto asked back.

"A human sacrifice! A jinchuriki?"

Naruto contemplated whether or not he should be honest with the man. He decided being honest would be better than to lie and ave it come back to bite him in the butt later.

"I am, so what?" Naruto replied.

The look of amazement on the mans face turned to sadness.

"So that's why your here. You must know what it feels like, you must know better than anyone."

"How what feels like."

"Loneliness." The man replied. It was strange, after finding out he was a monster the man didnt hate him or anything like that, instead he seemed to... sympathize with Naruto?

"Yeah, Im originally from the Leaf Village, but everyone hated me for reasons I could never really quite understand. So I left to remake myself, but one of my friends got taken from me, and the path led me here." Naruto replied.

"I see..." The man said going onto his knees as tears began to fall down his face.

"Hey are you alright?!" Naruto asked as he helped the man.

"Please! Help him!" The man begged.

"Helped who, what are you talking about?"

"He has had a life similar to yours, ever since he was a toddler he was despised, what makes him different from you is that he is not very well mentally. The beast inside him along with his horrible upbringing has torn his mind apart, and only someone who has lived a similar life could ever hope to help him!"

"Who are you talking about?"

"He is currently in the village you originate from, and Im sorry to ask for you to go back, but he could really use you as soon as possible, he is a genin taking the Chuunin exams there."

"Whats his name?" Naruto asked the man.

"His name is Gaara, the Jinchuriki of the one tailed Shukaku."

Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing, another person, another sacrifice just like him.

And his name was Gaara.


End file.
